LITTLE ROCK, AR– Friday, 30 Walmart protesters marched in front of the Chenal Walmart, demanding better pay and benefits for workers.
Cayt Lawley used to work at the Searcy Walmart location, but was fired earlier this month. She admits she mistakenly mishandled a transaction.
“The customer came through and bought her merchandise with her payroll check. It was supposed to go in the register. It was during the rush of our day. And out of habit of handing back personal checks, I handed back the payroll check,” said Lawley.
But she believes she was fired in retaliation for marching in two other protests. Lawley says the mistake she made is the company’s excuse for termination.
“I am up here standing up for Walmart workers across the country and just hoping that Walmart becomes the good guy and start treating us fairly again and stop the retaliation,” said Lawley.
But the protest at the store’s front entrance didn’t last very long. Little rock police arrived, telling the group to leave.
Protesters did, but said they will continue fighting until Walmart listens.
The main organizer of the demonstration was the group called “Organization United for Respect.”
Walmart did respond, saying “It was proven last night, and again today, that the OUR Walmart group doesn’t speak for the 1.3 million Walmart associates. We had our best Black Friday ever and OUR Walmart was unable to recruit more than a small number of associates to participate in these made for TV events. Press reports are now exposing what we have said all along – the large majority of protesters aren’t even Walmart workers.”
Cayt Lawley used to work at the Searcy Walmart location, but was fired earlier this month. She admits she mistakenly mishandled a transaction.
“The customer came through and bought her merchandise with her payroll check. It was supposed to go in the register. It was during the rush of our day. And out of habit of handing back personal checks, I handed back the payroll check,” said Lawley.
But she believes she was fired in retaliation for marching in two other protests. Lawley says the mistake she made is the company’s excuse for termination.
“I am up here standing up for Walmart workers across the country and just hoping that Walmart becomes the good guy and start treating us fairly again and stop the retaliation,” said Lawley.
But the protest at the store’s front entrance didn’t last very long. Little rock police arrived, telling the group to leave.
Protesters did, but said they will continue fighting until Walmart listens.
The main organizer of the demonstration was the group called “Organization United for Respect.”
Walmart did respond, saying “It was proven last night, and again today, that the OUR Walmart group doesn’t speak for the 1.3 million Walmart associates. We had our best Black Friday ever and OUR Walmart was unable to recruit more than a small number of associates to participate in these made for TV events. Press reports are now exposing what we have said all along – the large majority of protesters aren’t even Walmart workers.”
